1962
Boston Celtics
Series Flow
0
Wins
0
Losses
Regular Season
60–20
Win–Loss
Playoff Record
11–6
Win–Loss
Finals
0–0
vs Los Angeles Lakers
Finals MVP
Russell
Bill
Boston Celtics
60–20Los Angeles Lakers
54–26Frank Selvy missed a shot from the corner with 3 seconds left in regulation of Game 7 that would have won the Lakers the championship. Elgin Baylor had set a Finals scoring record in Game 5.
Finals MVP
Bill Russell
#6 · Center
18.9
PPG
28.1
RPG
28 rebounds per game in a seven-game Finals series. One of the most dominant defensive performances in basketball history.
5th championship — the dynasty's midpoint
The 1962 Finals produced Frank Selvy's missed shot that would have won the championship for the Lakers
How the Series Unfolded
The Champions
Bob Cousy
#14 · Guard
15.0
PPG
9.0
APG
The most creative passer of his era — kept the Celtics in rhythm through seven grinding games.
They Pushed Us to the Limit
Frank Selvy missed a shot from the corner with 3 seconds left in regulation of Game 7 that would have won the Lakers the championship. Elgin Baylor had set a Finals scoring record in Game 5.
Elgin Baylor
#22 · Forward
29.5
PPG
Set a Finals record with 61 points in Game 5 — still the most points ever scored by a player in a single Finals game.
History Written in 1962
Boston Celtics
5th championship in 6 seasons
Elgin Baylor
Scored 61 points in Game 5 — still the single-game Finals scoring record
Frank Selvy
Missed a shot from the corner with 3 seconds left in Game 7 that would have won the Lakers the title — haunted him for life
Beyond the Box Score
Elgin Baylor's 61 points in Game 5 remains the single-game Finals scoring record over 60 years later. Frank Selvy's missed corner shot with 3 seconds left in Game 7 remains one of the most heartbreaking moments in Finals history. The Celtics survived into overtime and won.
The Full Story
Frank Selvy. Three seconds left. Game 7. A corner shot that would have won the Los Angeles Lakers the 1962 NBA Championship. It rimmed out. The Celtics survived into overtime and won their 5th championship in 6 years.
Elgin Baylor had scored 61 points in Game 5 — a record that still stands. And still, the Celtics found a way.